International PCT patent application no. PCT/US00/22992 (WO 01/13974) discloses a gas-driven device heart assist device, that requires a percutaneous positioned gas-line.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,363 discloses a percutaneous access device (PAD) system, that allows both gas and electrical transmission, that utilises an intermediary connector piece that has the patient's own fibroblasts cultured onto the hub of the PAD. This has the proposed advantage of reducing infection. However, its disadvantages include its large size, inflexible nature, and that implantation is a two or three staged procedure. Specifically, implantation involves making a large skin biopsy, isolating the fibroblasts from the biopsy and growing the cells, then culturing them onto the device (which is a 10 day process). When the culturing process has been completed, the PAD can be implanted in the abdomen, and then the counterpulsation device implanted.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved percutaneous gas-line that, at least in preferred embodiments, requires no antecedent preparation and has a low risk profile for infection, but which allows remedial action to be taken in the event that gas-line infection occurs. It is well known that infection related to percutaneous lines in general is influenced by the diameter, flexibility and nature of the material. As such, a smaller, more flexible and soft (particularly Silicone) material are most advantageous in reducing infection—this is in direct contrast to the PAD as disclosed above.
It is a further object to provide a gas line for a heart assist device which gas line incorporates an ECG lead to provide for monitoring of the heart internally of the patient's body to control the operation of the heart assist device.